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We are paying $300 for our girl and that's fine for me.. I probably wouldn't go any higher then $400, but thats because of finances and knowing the upfront costs involved on our side too..

I think it's more then reasonable, seeing as she'll come vac'd, sterlised, wormed, checked, and has been cared for by someone for 6 weeks which will include food etc...She's also been checked for behaviour and what not which all costs a fair amount..

The lady looking after her at the moment, has asked if we can get her a new collar and she can keep the old one, as she personally looks after the bigger dogs and collars are expensive.. I have no problems in doing this either!!

I should also state, that we paid $75 for our cat 6 -7 yrs ago from another adoption agency which included vac'd and sterlisation... I guess cats don'e have to go through as much (behaviour tests etc) so they are cheaper? Not to sure!

I will play the devils advocate here as all the agreeing is making me look for a bucket.

Many people simply viewed fees legalised extortion. Pay it or if the animal does not get rescued it's going to die.

You should be encouraging people, charging $300 + is not small change and in most cases it’s most likely a poor workers wage. Sure you have to cover costs but you also have to understand people simply don't have that sort of cash lying around. At the end of the day a lot of people will buy the cheapest. If that is from a pet shop or backyard breeder they will. Sure you can say that they have not been checked, chipped and de-sexed etc but to a lot of potential owners would not give a toss about that. You may go the “well we don’t want those type of people owning animals” line but there is nothing to suggest that these people would not love and care for the pet and the pet will at least have a home. The alterative is death.

People who don't have that sort of cash laying around don't bother desexxing, microchipping, registering, worming, grooming, putting them in boarding kennels when they need to go away, paying for expensive surgery when they break a leg or get an eye problem.. the list goes on. Not having money is one of the MAIN reasons these dogs are in rescue in the first place.

nuff said.

Well going by your MAIN reason, we best just kill them all as no one would be good enough if they happened to be on a low income. You have to encourage people and by putting an exorbitant fee out there simply discourages them. Not everyone who wants a pet has wallets full of cash. Not every pet owner would rather dump their pet as soon as it got ill. You may get a shock as the people on low incomes most likely have their pet as a companion and would bend over backwards for their pet. Money is not everything yet its thrown in our face daily.

I will play the devils advocate here as all the agreeing is making me look for a bucket.

Many people simply viewed fees legalised extortion. Pay it or if the animal does not get rescued it's going to die.

You should be encouraging people, charging $300 + is not small change and in most cases it’s most likely a poor workers wage. Sure you have to cover costs but you also have to understand people simply don't have that sort of cash lying around. At the end of the day a lot of people will buy the cheapest. If that is from a pet shop or backyard breeder they will. Sure you can say that they have not been checked, chipped and de-sexed etc but to a lot of potential owners would not give a toss about that. You may go the “well we don’t want those type of people owning animals” line but there is nothing to suggest that these people would not love and care for the pet and the pet will at least have a home. The alterative is death.

$300 + is not expensive. Of course people don't have 'that sort of cash lying around'. It shouldn't be an impulse purchase. If you are looking at getting a dog, investing in a long term commitment, then you will save up money for it.

And not everyone will buy the cheapest. I said in a previous post I would rather pay a bit more for a dog I know is going to suit me and my lifestyle better.

The simplicity of you argument has no merit. Just because you are like that everyone else should be or is.

A lot of people will fall over backwards if they love their pet. Their commitment comes in time not to the tune of a cash register. Sure not everyone of these people will love and cherish their pet. In saying that, not everyone who buys a pet will do that as well.

As I said the high fees discourage people not encourage them and that is my point.

As I said just because you do it one way does not mean the person next to you will do exactly the same.

I am saying people should - its about being responsible, like Puggerpup. Of course there are some people who buy on impulse.

As for these kinds of prices discouraging people, I would think that once someone has made the decision to get a rescue dog it wouldn't really matter. We are not talking about huge amounts of money here. $300 in the scheme of things is nothing, compared to how much you will spend on food, toys, vet etc

I by no means want to get into an argument on my first day of joining, but even paying $50 for a dog, or even "free to a good home"; the costs of micro-chipping, vac'd sterilization and so forth will out weigh the $300 asked by rescues/pound surely??

Yes you're right about people wanting to spend next to nothing, and probably wont do all of the above mentioned, but they are also the dogs that end up in the pound?

We have had to go through a lot to our adopt a dog, and we still might not get her (though i doubt it) as they are coming to check the place out on Thursday night to ensure it's suitable. We've had to answer many questions some very personal, and some not so much. We've also had them tell us what dogs would be suitable to us, not what dogs we would like (we had a list to choose from). Also as I just mentioned we've also had to allow them to come through and check our house.. They are very thorough and all of this takes time/money..

To a lot of people this seems way to much to adopt a dog, but at the end of the day these dogs have already had it rough for some if not all part of their life and the people who have saved them don't want to see them again...

I dare say most who adopt aren't just looking for a cute pup for Christmas/Birthday, they are well thought out plans to adopt, as lets face it no one would put up with this otherwise.

I by no means want to get into an argument on my first day of joining, but even paying $50 for a dog, or even "free to a good home"; the costs of micro-chipping, vac'd sterilization and so forth will out weigh the $300 asked by rescues/pound surely??

Yes you're right about people wanting to spend next to nothing, and probably wont do all of the above mentioned, but they are also the dogs that end up in the pound?

We have had to go through a lot to our adopt a dog, and we still might not get her (though i doubt it) as they are coming to check the place out on Thursday night to ensure it's suitable. We've had to answer many questions some very personal, and some not so much. We've also had them tell us what dogs would be suitable to us, not what dogs we would like (we had a list to choose from). Also as I just mentioned we've also had to allow them to come through and check our house.. They are very thorough and all of this takes time/money..

To a lot of people this seems way to much to adopt a dog, but at the end of the day these dogs have already had it rough for some if not all part of their life and the people who have saved them don't want to see them again...

I dare say most who adopt aren't just looking for a cute pup for Christmas/Birthday, they are well thought out plans to adopt, as lets face it no one would put up with this otherwise.

Thats just my 2 cents

Hi Jodz and welcome, It's not an argument it's a discussion and I am merely pointing out one side. Just mine is the dark side